1020. That these things are meant becomes clear from the fact that everything put together as history from Genesis 1 down to Eber in Chapter 11 means something different from what appears in the letter, and from the consideration that the historical narratives there are purely made-up history customary among the most ancient people. When attesting the truth of some matter they would say that 'Jehovah said it'. Here however 'God' is used because the subject is the spiritual Church. And they did the same when anything true was being, or had been, put into effect.

2859. 'And Abraham dwelt in Beersheba' means that the Lord is that doctrine itself. This is clear from the meaning of 'dwelling', from the representation of 'Abraham', and from the meaning of 'Beersheba', all of which have been dealt with already, and is at the same time clear from what has gone immediately before. 'Dwelling in Beersheba' means abiding in doctrine, but when used in reference to the Lord the expression means His being such doctrine, even as 'dwelling in heaven', which also is said of the Lord, means not only that He is in heaven but also that He is heaven, for He is the All of heaven, 551, 552. It is well known that the Lord is the Word; so He is doctrine also, 2533, for all doctrine is drawn from the Word. The whole of the doctrine within the Word is received from the Lord and has to do with the Lord. In the internal sense of the Word nothing else than the Lord and His kingdom are the subject, as shown many times. It is the Lord's Divine Human that is the subject primarily of the internal sense of the Word. The whole of the doctrine within the Word, where man is concerned, has to do with worshipping Him and loving Him.